Bout of Silence
by Oh-no-she-di'ent
Summary: Luke and Lorelai spend some time together. PreRR. Complete.


**Disclaimer:** I could only dream about owning anything associated with _Gilmore Girls_. This is reality. Get the picture?

**Note de l'auteur:** Nice and bored and want something to read? Cool, read on! In a nice fic-reading mood and looking for something golden? Enh...I guess you can read. Either way, it's here for you guys. Synopsis? Yeah, really don't have one. It's just something to get over the hump. Oh, and for the reviewers of the fanfiction world, I thank you. I love you, and I really really really love my 'regulars'. I get the urge to name names in every one of these A/N's but I don't want to leave anyone out. To all the readers who choose not to review, I guess I thank you too. Even though you leave no mark, I know you were here and read my work. I don't know why that's deserving of a thank you, but it's polite, so _thank you_. :-)

**Bout of Silence**

"How much would you like to bet?" She asked smartly.

"I don't want to bet anything."

"Scared of losing, are we?" She boded.

Luke was filling another customer's coffee mug. When it was full, he set the pot on the counter and looked at a smiling Lorelai. "Do you sometimes forget who you're talking to?" He asked.

"Of course not. Why do you ask?" She asked plainly.

"Just the fact that you would, even for second, think that I'd fall for something like that is astounding to me." He turned and placed the pot on the machine. "I'm not a child, Lorelai."

"Everyone's a child at heart," she stated. He looked at her, doubt etched in his eyes. Lorelai smiled. "Maybe yours is a little further behind the heart than most people's are." He continued his stare, annoyance replacing the doubt. She continued. "Buried in some distant nook." The look was still present. "You know, some people's are closer to the spine kinda near the--"

"Feel free to wrap this up anytime now," he said calmly as he looked away.

"It's wrapped."

"Good."

She took a sip of her coffee. "So, back to the betting."

"You know," he said stopping and looking at her, "if you knew what I knew, you would not be trying to bet me."

"And what exactly do you know?"

"That you're wrong," he said as he pulled open the napkin dispenser and started filling it.

Lorelai laughed. "No, you poor thing, I think you misunderstood the question. I asked what you 'know', not what you want to be true but, sadly, is not."

"Lorelai, let it go."

"I will when you admit that Kirk considers you his best friend."

"I told you, Kirk does not see me as his best friend. And stop saying 'best friend'. It's juvenile."

"You're a testy best friend," she said frowning.

"Lorelai, can we drop this stupid conversation, please?"

"It wouldn't have become a conversation if you wouldn't have denied my statement. Now, we have to make a bet so that I can have something to hold over you when you're proven wrong."

"You know what I want the most right now?"

"A schick?"

He ignored her. "I want you to be quiet for a really long time," he finished animatedly.

She looked up and considered his words. "Okay," she finally said, "And, if I win, I--"

"Wait, that wasn't a part of any bet. That was just something to think about."

She continued. "If I win then, then everytime I come in the diner, you have to sing 'It's a Beautiful Day' by U2. For a week." It was the first thing that popped in her head.

He just looked at her. "Do you actually see that happening in your mind?" He asked her.

"I do, I do," she said clapping. "And in my head, you have a wonderful singing voice. Whaddya say we test out the real thing?"

He let out a breath. "What part of 'I know you're going to lose' don't you understand? Why are we still discussing this?"

Lorelai shrugged. "If I'm going to lose, then you have nothing to worry about. You get silence for however long you want. Why would you pass up that opportunity?"

"You're in here an hour of everyday, tops. You'd get to talk for twenty-three hours. That's a sucker bet."

She was silent for a moment. "How long would you want me to be quiet for?"

"Lorelai, I said I'm n--"

"How long, Luke?" She interrupted.

He sighed and mulled over a response. "A day, whatever. That would be hard enough for you."

"Okay," she said quickly. "Then if you win, I will be quiet for a whole day."

He gave her an obvious look. "...while you're in **here **, then when you lea--"

"IF you win," she began, "I will be quiet for a whole day. You will know that I'm sticking to the rules because I will, IF YOU WIN, stay with you the entire day. That way, you'll know if I break the rules."

He scrunched up his face and placed his hands on the countertop. "Why would your losing a bet result in me having to babysit your mouth? That makes no sense. And besides, shouldn't I **enjoy **my win?"

"You don't have to worry about the bet details. All you have to worry about is learning all the lyrics to that U2 song."

"I don't have to learn anything," he mumbled.

"Ooh, here comes Kirk," Lorelai said quickly, turning away from the window. "What do you say?" She asked him.

"You're **going **to lose," he said assuredly as he continued filling the dispensers.

She rolled her eyes, sure that she would be getting serenaded by Luke. She had already planned about 3 extra visits every day for that week when the singing would start. "Do we have a deal?" She turned quickly to see Kirk climbing the few steps to the diner. She turned back to Luke. "Deal?" She asked eagerly.

"Lorelai," he said tiredly.

"Luuuke," she whined quietly. Kirk had entered the diner.

He sighed. "Fine. Your grave," he said.

She smiled at his agreement just as Kirk was taking a seat. "Kirk, hi!" She said a little too enthusiastically.

"Hi, Lorelai," he said nervously. "How are you today?"

"Good," she said quickly. "You know what I love?" She said out of nowhere to him. He shook his head. "Friends," she said with an adoring look.

He gave her a weird look. "Yeah, friends are fun," he said slowly.

"Yeah," she agreed, smiling hard at him. She glanced at Luke and he was shaking his head as he continued to work. It was obvious she had no shame, so he was embarrassed for her. She ignored him.

"And, Kirk, you know what's...just the best?"

"What's that?" he asked, suddenly very interested in her attention.

"A friend," she said simply. "A friend that's the best." She nodded. "Some may call them...a best friend."

"I do," he said happily. "I call them that."

"Do you?" Lorelai asked matching his enthusiasm. He nodded with a smile. She continued. "So, um, who...exactly do you call that?" She asked.

"Who's my best friend?" He asked. It was Lorelai's turn to nod eagerly. He looked down. "Oh, that's easy," he said shyly.

Lorelai gave Luke an obvious look, smiling wide. Luke glanced at her and continued stuffing napkins inside the dispensers.

Kirk looked up at Luke. "Luke," he began.

"Ha! Told you," Lorelai said jumping up. Kirk looked at her strangely before continuing. Luke didn't bother looking up from his task.

"Luke," Kirk continued. "I said I was sorry, and I still am, and I hate to have to bring up painful memories to you."

"It's okay, Kirk. Bring 'em up," he said, lifting his eyes to look at Lorelai. There was almost a smirk on his face. She looked at him confused and a little embarrassed at her outburst.

"But," Kirk continued, "though I go through a lot with her..." He puffed his chest out, "Mother is my best friend." Luke looked up just in time to see Lorelai's arrogance dissolve. He just shook his head. "You are, undoubtedly, though, number two, Luke Danes. Now and forever more!" He said proudly.

"Glad to hear it, Kirk."

"Luke, can I see you in the back please?" Lorelai said already heading back there.

He waited a few moments before going to join her. He walked back, already finding her in position and waiting to complain about something. "Yes?" He asked crossing his arms in front of where she stood.

"You knew," she said accusingly. "You knew he was going to say that."

He shrugged. "Of course I knew. He only mentions it every other day."

Her mouth dropped open. "Why didn't you tell me that?"

"Hey, don't blame me. I told you not to take the bet. Did I not?" He asked pointedly.

"Well-" she stammered.

"How many times did I say it, Lorelai?" He asked leaning toward her.

She dropped her gaze. "But, if you had just told me that you **knew **knew, then I wouldn't have insisted. You tricked me," she said dejectedly.

"I did no such thing," he said calmly. "You brought this on yourself."

She looked up at him with a pout. A slow smile came on her face. "You're not really going to make me stick to that silly bet, are you?"

He answered fast. "Oh, no, no." She smiled. "I'm going to make you stick to that **genius **bet...that, may I add, **you **came up with." Her smile turned around. He smiled and walked back toward the diner. "Oh, I can't wait," he said over his shoulder. "A whole day of silence. Thanks for making me take that, Lorelai," he said.

He walked away leaving her standing there. "Damn," she whispered before walking out after him.

-------------------------------------

And that was Wednesday. It was now Sunday. Lorelai sat in her jeep, her head resting against the headrest. It was early. Too early. She'd heard rumors about there being one, but here she was, experiencing it for herself. There really was a 6 o'clock in the morning. They'd just been introduced a little while ago, and she hated it already. She had five minutes. 6:10 was the time. She glanced at the clock in the jeep, and saw another minute pass, bringing her time down to four minutes.

She lifted her head and looked out the windshield at the diner. She narrowed her eyes to evil slits before inhaling deeply through her nose and releasing a restrained scream. She closed her mouth and eyes and took a couple of calming breaths. "I can do this," she said softly. She looked at the clock again, and it read 6:13. She had two minutes. She grabbed her things and quickly climbed out of the jeep, hurrying along to the diner. Luke stood at the door, arms crossed. He smirked at her before unlocking the door and letting her in.

She stepped inside and looked at him piercingly. He looked down to his watch. "You have twenty seconds. Is there anything that you'd like to say?" He actually smiled under her evil gaze. "Twelve seconds," he said warningly. "Now's your chance."

"Bite me," she said clearly.

He kept watch on the time. "Annnnd, time's up," he said bringing his arm down. He drew in a breath and looked around him. Bringing his attention back to a still glaring Lorelai, he smiled broadly. "You want something to eat?" He asked. He was smiling so hard and Lorelai wanted nothing more than to reach up and pinch him or do something that would take away his glee. But, he'd asked a very pleasing question.

She nodded hesitantly.

"Okay," he said, unable to stop smiling. "Let me get you some oatmeal and some orange juice." She swallowed. _Was he serious? _He turned and headed toward the staircase. "You coming?" He asked. She folded her arms and trudged over to him. "Don't worry, I wouldn't do that to you," he said reading her body language. "I wouldn't dare try to keep you alive by feeding you healthy food. That'd be inhuman," he finished sarcastically.

She smiled appreciatively before leading the way up the staircase.

And so, Lorelai's 24 hours of silence began.

-------------------------------

Sundays weren't as busy as the rest of the week, and usually Luke would handle it alone, giving Caesar and Lane a day of rest. But, he'd decided to let Caesar handle things for the day while he spent the day making sure Lorelai upheld her promise to be quiet.

Fifteen hours remained.

Lorelai sat on the couch looking over a _People _magazine that she had brought with her. Luke came from the kitchen with a beer in his hand, and he reclaimed his seat on the other end of the couch, returning attention back to the baseball game that was playing on the television.

He took a swig of his beer and released a breath. "You know," he began, "I'm glad that you didn't mind me watching the game." He turned to her and caught her eye. "What?" He asked with a rising smile. "You didn't _say_ anything."

She fought back a smile and resumed reading. He had been making comments like that every since she'd gotten there, and as soon as her morning tiredness had worn off and she had some coffee in her, she couldn't help but find his remarks a little humorous. Hell, if the situation was reversed, she knew she wouldn't show nearly as much mercy as he had been.

He took another drink. "Did you want a beer?" He asked not bothering to look at her as he asked. Silence. He smiled again, still watching the game. "I guess not," he said bringing the bottle back up. Before it could reach his lips though, Lorelai reached over and took it from his hand. He looked over at her just in time to see her flash him a smile and wrap her lips around the bottle, taking several gulps.

She gave him a satisfied smile, and he looked at her blankly before reaching over and taking his beer back. "That was really rude," he said blandly. That's what he said. The only thing he could think of though was that she had drank from the same spot that he had. That was definitely a new step in their customer-server relationship. He licked his lips and brought the bottle slowly up to his mouth. He was looking at the tv, and felt more than stupid when all he could concentrate on was placing his lips where Lorelai's had been. He tilted the bottle up and finished it off.

Looking back to Lorelai, Luke found her attention back on the magazine. The tv's buzzing caught his attention, and he and Lorelai looked up to see the picture fading in and out. It came back on and remained clear for all of three seconds before reception was lost completely. He picked up the remote and turned down the volume before going over and checking all of the plugs. When he found nothing out of place, he hit the back of the set a couple of times. When that didn't work, he released a defeated sigh and turned the tv off.

Going back over to the sofa, he sat down with a loud exhale. Lorelai barely noticed. She was upholding the rules completely, and she had not and currently _was_ not making one sound. Not even a cough. Time passed by, and Luke found the silence deafening.

He folded his arms and looked at her amusedly. "This is really strange," he said simply. She lifted her eyebrows in acknowledgement but continued to read. The apartment was eerily quiet. He looked down at the magazine for a while. He seemed to be reading it, but Lorelai was turned toward him slightly, so his positioning suggested that he couldn't have been. "Is that a good article?" He asked. She looked up at him and smiled. She nodded and continued to read once again. He nodded, sighed. "It looks like it," he added.

He leaned his head back and turned his neck to her. She glanced up at him. He smiled, and she shook her head, smiled again, and continued to read.

His eyes went from her, to the magazine, to the wall, then back to her. She was concentrating. His gaze went to the ceiling, then back to Lorelai's magazine as he strained his neck to see it clearly. Then he relaxed back onto the couch. He looked back at her. His eyes went to the curtains behind her. _'Man, those are girly'_ he thought to himself. _'Did I really pick those?'_ He twisted his mouth. He looked at the couch, the magazine, her. He brought his arm up and looked at his watch. "Fourteen hours and forty-two minutes to go," he said aloud.

Lorelai nodded, still not looking away from her magazine. Luke sighed deeply and slumped down into the couch cushions. He stared off at the far wall for the longest while, the only sounds being the rustling of Lorelai's magazine as she flipped from page to page.

Minutes passed.

"I've, uh," He turned and looked at her, "...never been able to hear my thoughts when I was around you." She looked at him fully. "It's strange," he added simply. She waited for him to say something else. "That's all," he said widening his eyes. "You can go back to reading."

She looked at him a second longer before turning attention back to the magazine. Two minutes passed. "Do you ever have trouble falling asleep?" He asked suddenly. Lorelai sighed loudly as she closed her magazine and tossed it on the couch between them. She turned all the way toward him, tucked a foot under herself, and propped an elbow on the back of the couch, giving her full attention to him.

He looked wide-eyed at her until she looked settled. "It was just question," he said in a surrendering tone.

She sniffed, leaned her head completely onto the back of her hand, and stared at him intently.

He looked at her several times, unable to fully hold her unwavering attention. "The reason I asked is because I never do. What about you?" He looked at her expectantly. A smile hit her eyes first before slowly spreading to her mouth. She kept looking at him.

He met her gaze and found himself smiling too. "I'm not trying to be funny, Lorelai," he said. "Just...nod or something."

Her tongue went to the inside of her cheek as she tried to show annoyance. It wasn't entirely working. She gave him no gestures.

He looked at her thoughtfully. "This is probably my chance to say all the things that I've wanted to say to you but couldn't because you never stop talking." She gave him a daring look, and he smiled wide leaning his head back while looking at her. "Let's see, where do I start?" He asked slowly. They stared at one another for a few moments, Luke smiling devilishly. He finally averted his eyes. "Who am I kidding? There aren't enough hours in a year."

He turned away, but Lorelai continued to give him her undivided attention. She was sure that if she proceeded to do something else to keep herself occupied, he would find a way to direct attention back on himself. She wasn't bothered by that fact, moreso intrigued or willing to humor that side of him. It seemed like he didn't know how to act with her being as quiet as she was. So, every few minutes, he'd just blurt out something crazy.

"Who do you think Kirk's father is?" He'd sat up on the couch a bit, but he turned toward her as he asked the question, her eyes still glued to him. He chuckled. "You think it could be Taylor?" She withheld laughter. Of all the things she expected to follow that question...

After the implication left his mouth, he considered it for a moment before watching Lorelai's reaction. She regained control quickly, not wanting to give him much satisfaction since it was his fault she was forced to be mute.

"So...the tv's out." Silence. She continued to look at him. He shifted his gaze around, wishing she would at least_ try _to look elsewhere, if only for a second. Every so often he'd lock eyes with her. "What do you want to do?" He asked to fill the silence.

He sat back and turned his head to her. He figured that if he looked directly at her then, she would tire of her current focus. Unfortunately, he was the one to break. He turned away before the plan could be fully implemented. He went back to tossing her glances every so often.

Lorelai's eyes moved over his face. She studied him. Her curiosity was piqued. He seemed nervous when she looked at him this way, and for the life of her, she couldn't figure out why. As her eyes took in various features, she realized concretely just how handsome he was. Very much so. Looking at him day after day for years, she wasn't ignorant to that fact, but it still seemed to her like a realization.

A corner of his mouth turned up. "I can't believe I haven't heard your voice in almost ten hours...and, you've been _right_ here. I never thought I'd witness such a thing."

She narrowed her eyes at him, showing him just how much she didn't appreciate that comment. This only caused him to smile fully.

He looked in her eyes for a moment before looking down to the magazine between the two of them. "You told Rachel that you don't wear contacts," he said. She tilted her head, requesting a point. He continued. "But you wear glasses sometimes. For the whole day."

She smiled. If she were in a position where she was allowed to vocalize a response, she would let him know that she does sometimes need them to read. And, there were days when she would just wear them for long periods. Correction lenses, though beneficial at times, weren't a necessity for her. She _didn't _wear contacts.

He went on. "People usually do that when they don't feel like putting contacts in." He added quickly, "Not that I don't believe you or anything because...it's obvious that you don't...wear contacts. Colored ones, at least." Lorelai smiled again. He seemed to be rambling. Nervously.

Luke seemed to fluster with her amusement. He just kept feeling the need to explain. "Because your eyes change shades...sometimes...with your moods, I guess. And contacts usually don't..." He rolled his eyes. "Okay, shutting up, now," he said flatly.

He started to turn red as he averted his eyes away from her. Her brows furrowed. _'Why is he so nervous?'_ is the question that resonated loudly in her head. She usually noticed him flustering after she'd made some leading dirty remark. But, she hadn't spoken for hours. And yet, he was nearly in the beginning stages of hyperventilation.

She hadn't taken her eyes off of him for a very long time, and her thoughts now circled around testing his reaction to her stares. It wasn't aggravation that he was showing. It wasn't annoyance. It wasn't even curiosity of why she was looking at him so hard. It seemed like he was shy or smitten or some other trait that confused her to no end, mainly because it was coming from him.

He cleared his throat. "Why, uh, are you looking at me like that?" He asked tossing a glance her way. Of course, she said nothing. "It's creepy, okay? Stop." That sounded almost convincing in his own head. But, he knew it wasn't true. He could have let the comment stand alone, but he kept having a small case of diarrhea of the mouth. "Are-are-are you trying to make me nervous or something?"

Her eyebrows raised. _'Make you nervous, huh?' _

"You can go back to reading. I won't bother you anymore," he said meeting her eyes for a longer period.

_'Yes, you will' ,_ she thought simply. Besides, she was too occupied to concentrate on reading anything.

He gave her a pleading look that sped across his features before he replaced it with a false nonchalant air. "I won't bother you. Just read...the magazine," he said coolly. She didn't even blink. Her gaze remained locked.

He released a breath and reached for the magazine. He picked it up and held it out to her. "You can read it in peace," he said calmly. Another smile hit her eyes. She fought its presence on her lips as she continued to watch him.

He narrowed his eyes at her. "I know what you're doing. You think that if you keep doing that, I'm going to get mad, and call the whole thing off." He smiled like he'd just figured out her whole evil scheme. "Well, that's not going to happen." He held the magazine out to her further. "Read the magazine." She bit her lip. Didn't move, though. He dropped the magazine and folded his arms. Turning his eyes away, he replied, "Fine, you're not bothering me."

His face reddened as he felt Lorelai eyes burning a hole in the side of his face. He started tapping his foot impatiently.

"Lorelai!" He said loudly turning to her, now, smiling face. She'd lost the battle at the beginning of the foot tapping. "Please read this damn magazine." He reached for it again, bringing it up in front of her face. Having her vision temporarily blocked, he almost felt his breathing return to normal.

She reached up almost instantly and took the magazine from him, making the breathing abnormality resume. He tried to take it back from her but she waved it around before placing it behind herself, near the sofa arm. She crossed her arms over her chest and tried to find her focus again.

Luke looked at her for a moment. She was being impossible, and he wished that he'd just kept his mouth closed and allowed her to read peacefully. Her actions, though, made him realize how little control he had over what was taking place. That knowledge disturbed him.

"Fine," he spat. He scooted over toward her. All the way over. Her foot was still tucked under her bottom, and his thigh bumped her knee and he leaned in placing himself directly in her face. Her eyes widened and she pulled her head back a bit at the close proximity. "Let's see how you like it," he said.

It seemed like a good idea. It seemed good...and logical...before it happened. A thought came into his mind telling him to do it, so he did. He wanted to give her a bigger taste of her own medicine and the thought had convinced him that that particular action would be a good way to do it. Good and logical is how it had seemed. Before he did it.

As he sat in her face, a mere six inches away, he wanted to knock the hell out of himself. A monotone voice filled his head. _'Well, Danes, you've really done it now, haven't you?'_ The damn thing actually laughed. _'Now what are you going to do? Did you even bother thinking about it before you jumped your stupid ass in her face? Now look at you. You know you look stupid, right? Let's see how the hell this ends up,'_ it finished.

Thanks to the voice, he found himself feeling twelve levels of embarrassment. If he had waited one more second, he would have realized what he was currently realizing as he sat inches away from her- that it was a very dumb and childlike thought that should have been given lots of room to pass.

Despite those overwhelming thoughts, he had no desire to show weakness or a lapse in judgment. He wanted it to seem like he had gained the upper hand.

Lorelai's eyes looked hard into his.

_'What is he doing?'_ That sentence ran like a broken record in her head. If she wasn't so stubborn and dead-set on staying silent, the sentence would have made its way pass her lips.

Luke's face tensed. He wanted to look strong, unmoving. Her proximity was making that a fallacy. He swallowed, thinking about how great it would be for him to just back up at that point, removing himself from the situation. He told himself that he would give it a few seconds, make it seem like it wasn't a big deal, then back up with a smirk that he knew he'd have to put much effort into forming.

He stared back into her eyes. Lorelai's breathing had heightened. Luke had stopped breathing altogether.

He felt his eyes trying to fly solo from his brain. He held control for as long as he could before they fell. Right down to her lips.

He knew there was no way for her to have not seen that movement. He looked back up in her eyes, swallowing hard. Her eyes were glued to his. She relaxed her gaze and brought her head back to the position it was in before he came so close to her.

They stared one another down, almost making a game of the awkward situation. Neither blinked, and Luke's few seconds he'd allowed himself passed by with no retreat.

It seemed surreal, them sitting in the position they were sitting in. But there they sat.

Luke leaned in. Only a bit, but it was definitely a lean. Lorelai noticed this. She held eye contact. Then, he started getting closer and closer and she wondered which of the two of them were moving.

It was Luke, but she didn't rule out the possibility of her own advance.

They got so close to one another that it was getting hard to stay focused. _'What are we doing?'_ was the new question coursing through her brain.

Luke tilted his head slightly as he closed the distance between them. Their lips brushed, and he pushed his lightly against hers as he completed the kiss. He pulled back and opened his eyes finding hers still shut. She opened her eyes slowly, keeping them facing downward as she blinked. Finally, she looked up at Luke.

The voice in her head was soft. _'He kissed me'_.

He looked for a reaction, but her expression was unreadable. That is until her eyes fell. Right down to his lips. Her breathing seemed to increase, and her gaze was intentional, almost wanting.

Luke moved toward her again. He paused right before reaching her mouth, his breath flowing over her parted lips. That lasted only a second before he touched his lips to hers once again.

'He's kissing me. Luke is kissing...'

Feeling his tongue on her lip, Lorelai opened her mouth, and Luke didn't hesitate in accepting the invitation. He slipped his tongue into her mouth, and she leaned her body into his as the kiss intensified.

They broke apart, breathing heavily as they rested their foreheads together. Lorelai's hands lay on his chest.

'Wow'.

"Um, wow."

Luke ran his hands along her hair, and she looked up into his eyes. He continued to run his fingers through her hair.

He looked at her, a slight smile on his face. "Of all the times not to be able to talk, huh?" She smiled falteringly, still trying to realize the hugeness of the moment. "I guess that leaves more room for me to make a fool out of myself, then." Lorelai grasped the back of his neck and pulled his lips back to hers, kissing him slowly. Deeply. He had opened up a floodgate.

They parted again. "I could do that all day," Luke commented breathily. Lorelai smiled confidently. He continued to rub her hair and face. "I need you to say something," he said trying to catch her gaze which rested squarely on his mouth. She looked up at him, her breathing audible. "Just let me know what you're thinking...right now."

She looked at him thoughtfully for a moment. Bringing one hand up, she rubbed her fingers down the side of his cheek before bringing her lips back to his. They kissed passionately. He'd definitely opened a floodgate.

It slowed, with Lorelai placing several kisses on and around his mouth. "I guess that's a good sign," he managed to say. She smiled. Luke pulled away from her a little. "Are you really not going to say anything?" He asked her. She gave him a look which she hoped read, _'you wanted it this way, remember? Deal with it.' _

Luke got the message loud and clear. He dropped his head. "I should have known this would come back and bite me in the ass," he muttered. Lorelai chuckled and kissed his nose. She laid her hands on his knee. "So..." He paused, looked at her, "what do we do now?" She smiled seductively and lifted an eyebrow quickly. After kisses like those, it was obvious where her mind was.

Luke smiled, leaned towards her, and captured her lips. They kissed for several seconds, and when Luke finally pulled away, Lorelai actually felt light-headed. He took a moment to compose himself before speaking. "Let's,uh--I think you might want to be free to, um, be...vocal before we...you know."

She turned her head, giving him an _'oh really?'_ look. Her thoughts ran rampant._ 'Cocky much?'_ She smiled as he flushed red.

He tried to clean it up quickly with a roll of his eyes at her expression. "I'm just saying. It'd be weird otherwise."

_'Yeah, I'm sure that's what you meant,'_ she thought doubtfully.

He smiled at her because he was sure where her mind was going. It _was _Lorelai .

The question still remained of what to do, though. They couldn't just sit there looking at one another because things would definitely get physical in no time at all. Lorelai thought for a moment before looking at him, then the tv, hoping he'd get the point. He followed her direction. "The cable's out, remember?" He reminded. She smiled wide and leaned over on the floor picking up one of the bags she'd brought with her. She pulled out a movie and went over and put it in his VCR. She came back and sat next to him on the couch.

"Why am I not surprised?" He asked pointing to the tv.

She smiled and leaned up looking back at him. He got the message as he opened his arms and allowed her to settle back onto his chest. The FBI warning came across the screen. Luke began to read it quickly. "How in the hell are they going to tell you what to do with your own video?" He asked rhetorically. Lorelai smiled at his response. She was sure the warning would get some type of reaction from him.

The movie began to play and finally the title flashed across the screen. "Aw, boy," he said low. "I should've known you'd have me watching a sappy love movie."

She snuggled closer to him and they watched the movie together.

When it ended, Lorelai put in another.

They watched two movies. In the middle of the third, Lorelai looked up at Luke to discover that he had fallen asleep. Meryl Streep sang out in the background as she looked up into his face smiling at the sight. She lay her head on his chest and hugged her body even closer to his as she continued to watch the movie.

She drifted off not too long after that.

The blue screen from the television shined brightly around the small apartment. Luke stared at it as if it actually contained a picture. His fingers ran absentmindedly through Lorelai's hair as she slept comfortably on his chest.

She began to stir, and Luke smiled as her body moved and squirmed slightly against his. She looked up at him sleepily and a slow smile spread widely over her face. Luke looked happy, and that was what caused her to smile like an idiot at such an early hour.

"Hey, Sleepyhead," he said softly. She turned her head quickly toward the tv. Her morning disorientation caused brief confusion to the exact location of the wall clock. She was excited as she thought that her 24-hour sentence had passed, but disappointment replaced it when she saw she still had an hour to go. Luke laughed. He kissed the top of her head. "You still have a little bit of time left," he said as he struggled to rise.

She stuck her lip out. _'Is it really necessary for you to move?' _She complained internally.

He looked back at her from his standing position and smiled like he could hear her thought. "Why don't you go and get ready for your day while I make us some breakfast?"

Lorelai smiled suddenly at the mentioning of food. She grabbed a bag and hopped up, giving him a kiss on the cheek before scurrying off toward the bathroom. Luke shook his head and went about preparing their breakfasts.

When Lorelai came out, he looked up at her briefly as he stepped away from the stove. She looked beautiful as always, and the smile she still wore on her face made her glow even more. No make-up, shoes or anything extra, and she looked amazing. Luke cleared his throat. "Okay, um, I have some coffee over there," he said pointing. "And, uh, I have some bacon and sausage for your disgusting and extreme carnivorous tastes." Lorelai chuckled, seating herself at the kitchen table. "I'm gonna go shower, and I'll make some pancakes when I get back." She nodded and he headed in the bathroom after grabbing some clothes on the way.

Lorelai grabbed herself a cup of coffee and went to sit in front of the television. She got comfortable and sat drinking small sips of her coffee as she stared straight ahead. When Luke emerged from the bathroom, that's where he found her. He came out towel-drying his hair, hotter than ever since he had to dress in the bathroom because of Lorelai's presence.

He walked over to the center of the room. "What are you--" He followed her gaze all the way to the wall clock. He looked back at her, and she was then looking at him smiling hard. He smiled and shrugged his shoulders, throwing his towel on the sofa. "I guess you can talk now," he said to her. Tossing his hands out to his sides, he asked amusedly, "So, what does Lorelai Gilmore want to say after 24 hours of silence?"

She smiled wickedly before setting her mug down and standing up to join him in the middle of the room. She stopped in front of him and looked him up and down thoughtfully before shrugging. "Nothing."

He scoffed. "Nothing?" He repeated.

She smiled fully as she stepped up close to him. "I'm not really for _talking_ right now," she said playfully. "I'd, uh, much rather be, what was it now?" She asked slowly as if she was really thinking. "Oh yeah, uh, _vocal_," she finished low.

Luke frowned in his own confusion. "What's the diff---..." It dawned on him quickly. He remembered what he'd said to her before. "Oh." He said. His thoughts began to race, and he looked around the apartment. It was 6:15 in the morning, and he was already running a little behind in getting the diner opened. Lorelai had to get to work, they still had yet to eat anything, and they hadn't even been on a date yet. Although they_ had _spent the better part of the day before snuggled on the couch watching movies together. Reasonable individuals would consider that a date. Still, doing _that_ now would be irresponsible, and being Luke, he was well-aware of that fact.

He brought attention back to Lorelai. She sensed his hesitation, and she hoped that she hadn't come off too forward too soon. But she had only said what she wanted to say. And since it was Luke, she felt completely comfortable doing that.

Luke opened his mouth to speak, and she braced herself for his temporary rejection. "Lorelai," he began as he shook his head, "I really think we should..." Lorelai's gaze fell, but Luke continued. "I think we should probably, uh, turn the coffee brewer off before we get into this," he finished quickly. He smiled at Lorelai's reaction. "Because I don't--"

He was cut off by her lips as she pressed them hard against his. She pulled back some, mumbling against his lips, "That wasn't funny."

"Sorry, it was hard to pass that up. The look on your--"

She kissed him again. "Let's see something else hard and...up," she whispered.

Them being in the heat of the moment didn't stop Luke from grumbling a mild admonishment. "Lorelai."

She smiled, both of them moving slowly toward the bed. "I'm just saying."

Luke moved his mouth to her neck and kissed his way to her ear. He whispered softly, "No talking, remember?"

His breath in her ear made her weak at the knees. "Yeah, uh, no...tal--...god...let's uh--"

Luke smiled and looked her in the eyes. He couldn't help but think of what a great idea that was. "Let's," he replied simply before covering her lips with his.

**---The End---**

I hope you guys enjoyed that. It was fun to write. Okay, I'm out. Everyone have a good week, and those of you still in school, have a wonderful and safe spring break!


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